Search This Blog

We are a strong, dedicated group of more than 100 Boy Scouts and Scout Leaders committed to living by the Scout Oath, helping other people, becoming significant leaders in our community and having a lot of fun along the way.

Saturday, June 23rd, 2018 - Homeward Bound!

As is our wont, the indomitable Scouts and Scouters of Troop 451 rose circa 6:15 this morning to strike camp and load up our gear. Scout Master Steve Kral and Assistant Scoutmaster Mark Lampe ably directed those Scouts who returned to camp after the Camp Geiger Carnival last night. They disassembled and packed the Troop 451 entryway sign (as seen on TV!) Along with similar duties performed, these folks really gave us a big start on today's labors. Those who duties kept them elsewhere last night extend a hearty "Thank you!" for their good work.

Without the capacious rental truck that we have hired in years past, packing up went more slowly this year than last but it nevertheless went well. Getting most of our gear into the larger of our two white trailers requires more careful packing than we have needed the past few trips to Geiger. Under the able direction of Steve Kral, we made highly efficient use of space. Most of the boys pitched-in to one degree or another but Jeremy Halbach went above and beyond, serving at Steve's side from the loading of the first box until we closed the trailer door. Once our gear was appropriately stowed for the trip home, we demolished the trays of the traditional Saturday morning cinnamon rolls for which the Camp Geiger kitchen is justly famous.

We attended closing ceremonies at 9:30. We were pleased to be recognized with the award for the Sharpest Unit of the Second Session. Inexplicably, the Cleanest Campsite recognition was awarded to Troop 86, though we won the daily competition four of the five days it was held. Some of the mild naggings of disappointment was assuaged by winning the Spirit award. This recognizes the unit with the greatest Scout Spirit in camp this week. While we were disappointed not to win the award for having the cleanest campsite, sometimes, you just can't win it all and it would be churlish to complain of the lack of recognition when we garnered recognition for so much else. This simply gives us a target for next year! In any event, we maintained our tradition of being a sharp troop that keeps its campsite in ship-shape order while displaying outstanding Scout spirit.

This week's Under-18 Staff Man of the Week (elected by the campers) was Troop 451's own Jay Jay Rawson.

We are now wending our weary ways through St. Joseph, on our way to Texas and home! This post must be brief yet information-packed.

Friday night, June 22nd, 2018, was yet another great night for Troop 451 and the Tribe of Mic-O-Say! We gathered on a pleasantly cool, damp evening to celebrate the accomplishments of our fellow tribesmen and, especially, the members of our troop. The Presiding Medicine Man of our tribe declared that Thursday's Tapping Ceremony was the largest ever seen at Camp Geiger. In all 72 new tribesmen were inducted: 58 Braves and 14 Honorary Warriors.

Our Scouts and Scouters who are actively involved in our Troop and the Tribe of Mic-O-Say earned many important advancements last night. Briefly, advancements include:

A note on Tribal names: You may have surmised that there is typically a convention to the way these names are given. The first member of a family is given a name based on some distinguishing characteristic or experience. For example, let’s say a Scout is inducted into the Tribe and given the name “Soaring Eagle.” Then, perhaps, his younger brother is inducted in a later year. That second family member of the same generation would be called "Little Soaring Eagle". If their father were next inducted, he would be "Big Soaring Eagle". Their mother might be inducted as "Ina Soaring Eagle" ("ina" means "mother of") . A still younger brother would be "Least Soaring Eagle". When a parent is inducted before a son, it is they who receive the unmodified base-name (e.g. "Fierce Badger"). The first son inducted then becomes “Little Fierce Badger”, while a second would be “Least Fierce Badger.” This pattern continues through "Small", "Smaller", etcetera. It can get very interesting (and a bit confusing) when a grandson is inducted.

While the convention is not absolute, most names bestowed by the Tribe of Mic-O-Say follow these patterns.

Next stop: Emporia, Kansas and Pizza Ranch!!

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It is with a very sad heart that I write in memory of a friend and mentor. We are all the poorer for the passing of a great Scout and Scouter, Tom Moore.

General Thomas Joseph Moore passed away on Friday, September 28th, 2018 at the age of 80. His Scouting career spanned 70 years and two continents. A Scout's Scout Tom joined the BSA in September of 1947 when he was 9 years old. He started as a Cub Scout with Pack 66 out of Fort Bliss in the Yucca Council. Tom’s Dad, like Tom himself, was a military man and Tom grew up in many different locales. In 1950, he moved to Norfolk, Virginia and became a member of Pack 59. As a Webelo, he earned Cub Scouting’s highest award, the Arrow of Light. He then bridged to Troop 59, also with the Tidewater Council and earned his Tenderfoot and Second Class Scout ranks. In 1951, he headed overseas and continued Scouting with Troop 43 out of Salzburg, Austria, with the EUCOM Council. In Austria, he earned the ranks of First Class, Star, and Life and s…

There have been several events that occurred over the past several weeks that have caused me to reflect on the events of my life over these past 12 years in scouting, 18 years at GraceBaptistChurch and 20+ years with my children.I can give you more specifics to the church and family, but wanted to focus on scouting in this note.For summer camp this year, we came to the Arapaho campsite as we have for the past several years and there at the head of the dining fly area was a picnic table with a star and Lewisville, Texas router-ed into the center board of the table.This was one of the 2x10s that Troop 451 donated to the camp in 2002 for the old council ring.The camp had asked troops to donate boards rather than sit on the ground for opening camp fire and Wednesday night activities in the old council ring.Bill Webber and I routered a couple boards all those years gone by.I can still remember the hot afternoon and the sawdust all over the place as we worked behind the campmaster building…

Once again, intrepid Scouts and Scouters of our beloved Troop 451 are wending their weary way Northward, to St. Joseph Missouri and Camp Geiger.

We gathered at First United Methodist Church of Lewisville, our Charter Organization, starting at 9:30 pm. In a not-unprecedented eventuality, almost everyone arrived at the stated time. Past experience has conditioned us to expect that if we say we are leaving at 10:00 pm, some folks will show up somewhat thereafter. Thus, we fudged a bit for a planned 10:30 departure. Apologies to those good folks who arrived at the posted time.

Our transportation this year was arranged courtesy of Tempus Transportation, which is owned by Troop 451's own Morales family. And what transportation it is! We have been accustomed to comfortable, well-appointed buses and this year is no exception. If anything, it exceeds our high expectations and for this, we are grateful.